By VivaMap · find the best place to live in Switzerland, from canton to exact address · Last updated 9 October 2026

The Glarus metropolitan area shows mixed results for the Retirement profile. Our analysis covers 2 communes in the Glarus area.
With an average score of 5.7/10, the area is on par with the national average (6.1/10). Individual scores range from 5.6 to 5.9/10, offering a real span of options. A standard deviation of 0.15 signals relative homogeneity for this profile.
Excellent average of 7.3/10. Glarus Nord leads the ranking (7.5/10), while Glarus comes last (7.1/10). Note: Glarus appears in the global top 5 for the Retirement profile despite a low score here; its advantage comes from other criteria.
Excellent average of 7.3/10. Glarus leads the ranking (8.6/10), while Glarus Nord comes last (6/10). Note: Glarus Nord appears in the global top 5 for the Retirement profile despite a low score here; its advantage comes from other criteria.
Excellent average of 8.6/10. Glarus leads the ranking (8.7/10), while Glarus Nord comes last (8.4/10). Note: Glarus Nord appears in the global top 5 for the Retirement profile despite a low score here; its advantage comes from other criteria.
Relative to the Swiss average, the Glarus area stands out on Nightlife & Dining (9.1/10, well above the national average of 6.5/10, deviation +2.6) and shows weakness on Annual Sunshine (1.6/10, well below the national average of 5/10, deviation -3.4).
Top-ranked communes limit the compromise on Annual Sunshine without sacrificing higher-priority profile criteria. Each criterion's scores are independently normalised at national scale; direct comparison between different criteria should be interpreted with caution.
For retirees, proximity to care (GP, pharmacy, reference hospital) becomes central, as does walking access to shops and administrative services. A high score on Healthcare, Noise, and Public transport (even without commuting) preserves autonomy over time. Taxation also weighs heavily at retirement, when income drops. Avoid very steep communes if mobility declines: proximity is not enough without a reasonable gradient. A mid-sized commune (3,000–10,000 residents) often strikes the best balance between calm and services.
The profile overall score combines the 9 VivaMap criteria weighted by the profile's declared priorities. Each criterion score is normalised on a national 0-10 scale to keep agglomerations comparable. Visit the criteria pages to learn how each dimension is measured.
Data: FSO, geo.admin.ch, OSM. Scores normalised 0-10